Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state Board of Pardons have granted a pardon to Tou Lue Vang, 42, a native of Laos who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl and was facing deportation. The decision was made at the board's June 10 meeting.
Vang was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeated assaults between 2002 and 2006. As part of a plea deal, he avoided prison time. Following his conviction, Vang lost his legal immigration status and was ordered removed from the U.S.
The pardon, recommended by the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission (CRC), effectively gives Vang a clean slate. Carli Stark, executive director of the CRC, informed Vang of the decision, stating that receiving a pardon is a significant achievement reflecting work done since his conviction.
Vang entered the U.S. in 1994 and was granted legal status under the Clinton administration, which was revoked after his 2006 conviction. He was detained by federal authorities last year as part of an operation in Minnesota.
The pardon has drawn criticism from Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, who called the decision "disgusting" and stated it protects criminal illegal immigrants. Bis noted that the Review Commission has previously granted pardons to undocumented immigrants.
The CRC, comprised of nine members, voted to approve Vang's petition in April. The vote was four in favor, two against, and three absent. The Board of Pardons, which includes Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison, and state Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, considers the CRC's review but holds the final authority on pardons.
In his petition, Vang cited years of rehabilitation and claimed to have taken full responsibility for his past actions. The Minnesota Board of Pardons also recently pardoned Jai Vang, another Laotian citizen with convictions for robbery and driving under the influence.